<s>
Lightning	B-Architecture
is	O
a	O
proprietary	O
computer	B-General_Concept
bus	I-General_Concept
and	O
power	O
connector	O
created	O
and	O
designed	O
by	O
Apple	O
Inc	O
.	O
and	O
introduced	O
on	O
,	O
to	O
replace	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
the	O
30-pin	O
dock	O
connector	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
connector	I-Architecture
is	O
used	O
to	O
connect	O
Apple	O
mobile	O
devices	O
like	O
iPhones	B-Device
,	O
iPads	B-Device
,	O
and	O
iPods	O
to	O
host	O
computers	O
,	O
external	O
monitors	O
,	O
cameras	O
,	O
USB	B-Protocol
battery	O
chargers	O
,	O
and	O
other	O
peripherals	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Using	O
8	O
pins	O
instead	O
of	O
30	O
,	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
is	O
much	O
smaller	O
than	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
integrated	O
with	O
devices	O
like	O
the	O
iPhone	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
the	O
iPad	B-Operating_System
2	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
plug	O
is	O
symmetrical	O
(	O
same	O
pins	O
on	O
either	O
side	O
)	O
,	O
so	O
it	O
can	O
be	O
inserted	O
into	O
a	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
receptacle	O
in	O
either	O
orientation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
connector	I-Architecture
was	O
introduced	O
on	O
,	O
as	O
an	O
upgrade	O
to	O
the	O
30-pin	O
dock	O
connector	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
compatible	O
devices	O
were	O
the	O
iPhone	B-Operating_System
5	I-Operating_System
,	O
the	O
iPod	B-Operating_System
Touch	I-Operating_System
(	O
5th	O
generation	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
iPod	B-Device
Nano	I-Device
(	O
7th	O
generation	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
iPad	B-Device
(	O
4th	O
generation	O
)	O
and	O
the	O
iPad	B-Device
Mini	I-Device
(	O
1st	O
generation	O
)	O
were	O
added	O
as	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
devices	O
in	O
October	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
November	O
25	O
,	O
2012	O
,	O
Apple	O
acquired	O
the	O
"	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
"	O
trademark	O
in	O
Europe	O
from	O
Harley-Davidson	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apple	O
was	O
given	O
a	O
partial	O
transfer	O
of	O
the	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
trademark	O
,	O
suggesting	O
that	O
Harley-Davidson	O
likely	O
retained	O
the	O
rights	O
to	O
use	O
the	O
name	O
for	O
motorcycle-related	O
products	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apple	O
is	O
the	O
sole	O
proprietor	O
of	O
the	O
trademark	O
and	O
copyrights	O
for	O
the	O
designs	O
and	O
specifications	O
of	O
the	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
connector	I-Architecture
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
iPad	B-Device
Pro	I-Device
,	O
released	O
in	O
2015	O
,	O
features	O
the	O
first	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
connector	I-Architecture
supporting	O
USB	B-Protocol
3.0	O
host	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
only	O
accessory	O
that	O
supports	O
USB	B-Protocol
3.0	O
is	O
the	O
new	O
camera	O
adapter	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Normal	O
USB-A	O
-	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
cables	I-Architecture
are	O
still	O
USB	B-Protocol
2.0	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
October	O
30	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
Apple	O
announced	O
that	O
their	O
new	O
range	O
of	O
iPad	B-Device
Pro	I-Device
models	O
will	O
replace	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
with	O
USB-C	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
October	O
4	O
,	O
2022	O
,	O
the	O
EU	O
parliament	O
approved	O
regulations	O
that	O
would	O
require	O
all	O
electronic	O
devices	O
to	O
support	O
USB-C	O
,	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
meet	O
pressure	O
by	O
EU	O
consumers	O
regarding	O
financial	O
costs	O
and	O
e-waste	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apple	O
stated	O
concerns	O
that	O
this	O
will	O
"	O
harm	O
consumers	O
in	O
Europe	O
and	O
around	O
the	O
world	O
,	O
"	O
but	O
on	O
October	O
25	O
,	O
2022	O
,	O
Greg	O
Joswiak	O
,	O
the	O
vice	O
president	O
of	O
worldwide	O
marketing	O
of	O
Apple	O
,	O
said	O
that	O
Apple	O
will	O
comply	O
with	O
the	O
new	O
EU	O
regulations	O
,	O
indirectly	O
confirming	O
that	O
iPhone	B-Device
models	O
and	O
other	O
devices	O
will	O
ultimately	O
replace	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
with	O
USB-C	O
in	O
the	O
future	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lightning	B-Architecture
is	O
an	O
8-pin	O
connector	O
that	O
carries	O
a	O
digital	O
signal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
the	O
Apple	O
30-pin	O
connector	O
it	O
replaces	O
(	O
and	O
USB	B-Protocol
Type-A	O
or	O
-B	O
connectors	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
connector	I-Architecture
can	O
be	O
inserted	O
either	O
face	O
up	O
or	O
face	O
down	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
maximum	O
transfer	O
speed	O
available	O
over	O
the	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
connector	I-Architecture
is	O
480	O
Mbit/s	O
,	O
same	O
as	O
USB	B-Protocol
2.0	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
receptacle	O
on	O
the	O
12.9-inch	O
iPad	B-Device
Pro	I-Device
(	O
1st	O
and	O
2nd	O
generation	O
)	O
and	O
10.5-inch	O
iPad	B-Device
Pro	I-Device
models	O
has	O
16	O
pins	O
,	O
as	O
there	O
are	O
additional	O
eight	O
pins	O
on	O
the	O
other	O
side	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
supports	O
USB	B-Protocol
3.0	O
(	O
now	O
USB	B-Protocol
3.2	O
Gen	O
1	O
)	O
at	O
the	O
maximum	O
transfer	O
speed	O
of	O
5	O
Gbit/s	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Only	O
the	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
to	O
USB	B-Protocol
3	O
camera	O
adapter	O
provides	O
the	O
speed	O
on	O
those	O
iPad	B-Device
Pro	I-Device
models	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apple	O
offers	O
various	O
adapters	O
that	O
allow	O
the	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
connector	I-Architecture
to	O
be	O
used	O
with	O
other	O
interfaces	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
30-pin	O
,	O
USB	B-Protocol
,	O
HDMI	B-Protocol
,	O
VGA	B-Protocol
,	O
and	O
SD	B-Device
cards	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
to	O
30-pin	O
adapter	O
supports	O
only	O
a	O
limited	O
subset	O
of	O
the	O
available	O
30-pin	O
signals	O
:	O
USB	B-Protocol
data	O
,	O
USB	B-Protocol
charging	O
,	O
and	O
analog	O
audio	O
output	O
(	O
via	O
the	O
DAC	O
inside	O
of	O
the	O
adapter	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Official	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
connectors	I-Architecture
contain	O
an	O
authentication	O
chip	O
that	O
made	O
it	O
difficult	O
for	O
third-party	O
manufacturers	O
to	O
produce	O
compatible	O
accessories	O
without	O
being	O
approved	O
by	O
Apple	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apple	O
has	O
not	O
publicly	O
discussed	O
microUSB	O
,	O
but	O
various	O
tech	O
news	O
websites	O
state	O
that	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
might	O
have	O
been	O
used	O
instead	O
of	O
microUSB	O
because	O
of	O
its	O
compatibility	O
with	O
docks	O
and	O
speaker	O
systems	O
;	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
insert	O
the	O
cable	O
in	O
either	O
direction	O
for	O
user	O
convenience	O
;	O
Apple	O
wishing	O
to	O
maintain	O
control	O
over	O
supply	O
chain	O
of	O
accessories	O
;	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
charge	O
a	O
licensing	O
fee	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
mechanical	O
weakness	O
of	O
USB	B-Protocol
connectors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
optional	O
supplemental	O
standard	O
USB	B-Protocol
On-The-Go	O
allows	O
USB	B-Protocol
devices	O
to	O
do	O
this	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
April	O
10	O
,	O
2015	O
,	O
Apple	O
announced	O
a	O
new	O
line	O
of	O
MacBooks	B-Device
that	O
featured	O
USB-C	O
.	O
USB-C	O
has	O
similarities	O
with	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
,	O
and	O
advantages	O
over	O
microUSB	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
USB-C	O
,	O
like	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
,	O
but	O
unlike	O
its	O
predecessor	O
microUSB	O
,	O
can	O
be	O
plugged	O
in	O
either	O
direction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
USB-C	O
and	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
are	O
not	O
interchangeable	O
as	O
they	O
are	O
entirely	O
different	O
pin-outs	O
,	O
protocols	O
and	O
connectors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
following	O
first-party	O
and	O
third-party	O
devices	O
use	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
connectors	I-Architecture
:	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
reviewers	O
have	O
criticized	O
Apple	O
for	O
continuing	O
to	O
include	O
a	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
port	I-Architecture
on	O
their	O
products	O
instead	O
of	O
moving	O
to	O
a	O
more	O
modern	O
,	O
universal	O
port	O
such	O
as	O
USB-C	O
.	O
Apple	O
has	O
stated	O
that	O
they	O
continue	O
to	O
use	O
Lightning	B-Architecture
because	O
replacing	O
it	O
"	O
would	O
create	O
an	O
unprecedented	O
amount	O
of	O
electronic	O
waste	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Apple	O
introduced	O
the	O
MFi	B-Device
Program	I-Device
to	O
increase	O
the	O
quality	O
of	O
the	O
third-party	O
accessories	O
and	O
consumer	O
confidence	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
phenomenon	O
exists	O
on	O
lightning	B-Architecture
connectors	I-Architecture
where	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
middle	O
gold	O
pins	O
turn	O
black	O
over	O
time	O
,	O
making	O
one	O
side	O
of	O
the	O
connector	O
to	O
cease	O
functioning	O
.	O
</s>
